LASER DIODE MODULE 10watt DIY

[daveacad]

Hi,
I'm new here.

I would like to build a 10W (or bigger, if possible) laser module to be mounted on my CNC.
I've found an exmple here:
Industrial 808nm 10W (10000mw) Infrared Laser Module FocusableCutter w/TTL | eBay

(Industrial 808nm 10W (10000mw) Infrared Laser Module FocusableCutter w/TTL
MADE IN TURKEY 10000mw Laser Diode Module CNC Cutting)

And here general instructions/directions about laser modules:
http://odicforce.com/Background-and-...age-/-Category
http://odicforce.com/epages/05c54fb6...a_Laser_Module

Laser diode is not to difficult to find. Here an example:
SPL PL90 OSRAM Opto Semiconductors | Mouser

Someone knows other links where to find instructions to build laser modules?

I'm really a newbie and I need to find a step by step guide!
Thank you.

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[Louis_Cannell]

what are you intending to cut engrave with 10 watt, these lasers are no good for anything translucent like acrylic black acrylic will engrave, my 2.8w easily cuts paper, card, leather, 10mm rubber matting(3 passes) and engraves on wood leather etc for £70 shipped plug and play add power supply and 0-5v driving current, even a 10w is very limited and a lot of the 10w are 3-4 smaller diodes converged. For the type of money you have on the 10w listing look at a Co2 Tweakie has a great thread on the Artsoft forum with lots of great information https://www.machsupport.com/forum/in...c,12444.0.html with a Co2 you would have options to cut Ply MDF Acrylic and a useable laser

[wmgeorge]

The problem with a 10 Watt diode laser is cooling. And If you can find a 10 watt one, what are you going to use for a driver? The practical size right now is 6.5 watts and even on that the cooling is critical.
Its my understanding and I will know more when I get mine running, is clear acrylic needs to be coated with black before it can be engraved or cut.

[Louis_Cannell]

Coating with black will allow some shallow marking its the light frequency that will prevent you cutting translucent materials even when covered once through coveringh layer same problem exists.

[dharmic]

I just made a heatsink for a 445nm 3.5W and mounted it to the side of my spindle with a double collar. I have a pair of nozzles for air blast and misting which I leave on a continual flow when operating the laser, pointed at the heatsink fans and downwards so they also blow the smoke clear of the lens etc before they can damage it. If I found that heatsink getting too warm I'd do another that took the spindle coolant fluid and circulated it through.

3.5W lets me cut fabric, paper, wood to 3 or 4mm, various types of tape etc. I get the impression from reading a lot of stuff that capabilities don't improve material wise until you jump up into the hundreds or thousands of watts and different wavelengths where you can start adding clear acrylic and metal to the list, but then you're in a whole different ball game.

What I've also found (looking at your ebay link) is that you need to be able to throttle the laser output - even 3.5W is causing me problems with something I'm trying to do at the moment. And "TTL" is usually just on/off for laser shows. So you need an Analog or PWM modulation input on the driver and some means of setting that level. Definitely watch out for that when you're shopping.

[wmgeorge]

Well I have a nice 50 Watt CO2 laser but its 300 lbs or so and not portable at all. I have the 5.5 watt blue diode all metal kit ordered from Pretty Worth Shop and it should be here tomorrow via DHL, about 6 days all and all from China. I was hoping just to do a couple of fans on the heat sink and controller and get by. Your mist cooler sounds pretty good.

Long term I intend to go with the Jtech laser driver that is well designed and perhaps upgrade to a different controller. Depends on if I find a use for this diode laser.

[dharmic]

I started off with the idea of a fan on back of the heatsink but realised my cable chains are chockablock - I didn't have room for a four core to power fan AND laser!

[wmgeorge]

Well I have a nice 50 Watt CO2 laser but its 300 lbs or so and not portable at all. I have the 5.5 watt blue diode all metal kit ordered from Pretty Worth Shop and it should be here tomorrow via DHL, about 6 days all and all from China. I was hoping just to do a couple of fans on the heat sink and controller and get by. Your mist cooler sounds pretty good.

Long term I intend to go with the Jtech laser driver that is well designed and perhaps upgrade to a different controller. Depends on if I find a use for this diode laser.

I got my DHL package today from the eBay purchase from Pretty Worth Shop. Some to be expected Chinese to English moments but the darn thing worked and engraved out of the Box! Very impressed, the module says 6 watts 12 volt 3 amp and the power supply is rated for 5 amps so I guess I really got a 6 watt machine?

[dharmic]

Probably not, they tend to overspec. Diodes usually are specced with a recommended and maximum forward rating, that 6W may well run but the diode will probably die in tens of hours at that rate, backing it off gives it a life expectancy of hundreds of hours instead.

[wmgeorge]

Probably not, they tend to overspec. Diodes usually are specced with a recommended and maximum forward rating, that 6W may well run but the diode will probably die in tens of hours at that rate, backing it off gives it a life expectancy of hundreds of hours instead.

Its like the Chinese CO2 laser I had, its rated at Peak power I assume, but really needs to run at 90% so that would be about 5.4 watts. I do need to come up with a combo larger fan mount and adjustable or sliding mount to save trying to focus that lens every time. That will be a 3D printer design and print job.

[dharmic]

A bit like my cheap car speakers. 200W rated - this is a measure of how much current * what voltage they managed to put through it just before the voicecoil evaporated. Actual, sustainable power more like 30W